Change-making machine



April 21, 1931. c. E. cHALMERs CHANGE MAKING MACHINE Ira...

original Filed Jan. s1, 1923 2 sheets-sheet l l uw i M.. k

BY Mw, M@

A TTORNE YJ" c. E. CHALMERS CHANGE MAKING MACHINE April 21, 1931 original Filed Jan.

51, 1923 Sheets-Sheet v2 T 9g E 21 VEN TOR A TTORNE Y -P Patented Apr.` 21, 1931 PATE rence-j CHARLES CHALMERS, OF NEW YORK, hl. Y.

sirenes-.na nine iancninn Application filed Januar-y e1, ieee, serial No. 616,205. Renewed may 29, 1930.

In my copending application, Serial No. 613,076 filed January 16, 1923, I have illustrated, described and claimed an improved change making machine, more particularly designed and constructed-to be used on street cars or similar vehicles Where a `fare is charged, which machine is under the sole control of the motorman.- However, it is not limi-ted to such use, but may be readily employed in other relations Where a change maliing machine is desired or necessary. One of the'more important objects of the invention ofthat application is to provide an improved change making machine of compact and sim ple construction which isnot only adapted to receive the exact fare, but likewise adapted to return the necessary change Whenever the i passenger deposits a coin therein of a denomination higher `than the price of the fare. In that application I have, among other things, illustrated and described a chute for receiving the depositedcoins, the same being an eX p'edient employed in conjunction generally with machines of this character. Mechanism is provided in that machine for enabling the inspection, selection and rejection of coins of different denominations, the construction and arrangement being such that the selectors when operated in one direction, enable the cointo be received in the machine, and when operated in the other direction, to be ejected therefrom. Oi", stated more generally, the coin selecting means arrests `the coin `in the` course of its travel beyond the chute, and is so related to the chute that` thelcoin may bel readily removed in case it is found to be spurious. If the coin isgenuine, the coin arresting and selecting means is actuated to deposit the coin at a certain position in the mathrough the intermediary' of said coin; For a more "detailed description of this machine, reference is hereby made to the said copendi-ng application. P InA my copending application, Serial No.

613,0`77filed January 16, 1923, there is illustrated, described and claimed among other things, the provision of'mechanism for receiving one/or a mnltipleof fares from a coin deposited' the machine, suitable provisions chine so as to enable the latter to be operated being also made in connection therewith for registering the number of fares taken from said coin, or, more broadly stated, for registering the net amount of cash received by the machine. j

Inmy copending application first above referred to I have illustrated, described and claimed change carriers provided With a plu- CJF rality of maga-zines'or pockets which are movably supported in the machine. In the' sec- 51' ond copending application above referred to, the invention comprises, among other things, an improvement over the first mentioned application, although not limited thereto, in that the magazines or pockets are preferably stationary, and in connection therewith, provision is made for extracting one or a multiple of coins from the "same magazine depend- Ving upon the number of fares to be taken from the particular coin deposited. For a more detailed statement of the constri'i'ction, objects, features and advantages of the second mentioned application, reference is hereby made thereto. A

'Ihe present invention is an improvement upon my inventions illustrated, described and claimedin my two copending applica tions above referred to, and resides chiefly in the feature of providing a plurality of improved coin chutes fnllyequipped With .mechanism for enabling spurious coins or slugs to be readily detectedan'd ejected from the machine. In connection With the ejecting instrumentalities mechanism is employed for registeringthe number of coinsv ejected from the machine. It has been found that Where slugs have been deposited, they are invariably of a size corresponding more or less to the size of standard coins. In the device illustrated herein, I have therefore shovvn mechanism Which enables the operator to eject slugs of the Sizemore or lessequivalent to the size of fifty, twenty-five, five and ten cent pieces, irrespective of which chute the particular slug is dropped into.

Counters are so arranged adjacent to 'the various chutes to indicate or register the size and number of slugs ejected. One of the more important features of the invention y of the present application over the devices i3 of my copending applications above referred to resides in the means controlled by the operator for directing the lowermost coin in said chutes at will either into a passageway leading the same to an operative position in the machine, or into a passageway to enable the return of the coin deposited, and simultaneously operated means for arresting the movement of the succeeding coin or coins that happen to be deposited in the chute, thereby avoiding the danger of jamming the machine. rlhis means for arresting the movement of the succeeding coin or coins in the chute is so constructed and arr nged that it will function irrespective of the sequence or mistakes made in depositing the particular coin in the proper chute. For instance, this deif'ice will function eren if a ten cent piece or a plurality of ten cent pieces are deposited in the five, twenty-live er fifty cent chutes, thus enabling the improper coin deposited to be returned to the passenger.

Another feature of this invention, aside from its compact form and simplicity of operation, resides in the ability of the invention to be applied to change making machines of general application and use.

Another of the more important features of this invention is the fact that change may be simultaneously made by the machine from a plurality of coins. ln other words, change may be' made simultaneously for a ten cent, twenty-live cent, and a fifty cent piece deposited in the machine, thus greatly expediting or facilitating the handling of the passengers boarding the street car, or vehicle, as the case may be.

Other objects, advantages and features of i, the construction will be more clearly apparent from the detailed description below taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the change making machine showing the application of my improif'ements thereto.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken at right angles to the section illustrated in Fig. 2, and passing through one of the coin chutes. The parts are illustrated in position to show the method of ejeeting a coin from the machine.

Fig. 4- is a View similar to Fig. 3 showing the relative location of the parts enabling the coins to be receivedV into the machine.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 graphically illustrates the condition where, for instance, a ten cent piece has been accidentally deposited in the fifty cent coin chute.

Referring tothe drawings in detail, the refer'ence numerals 10 and 11 designate cooperating members which deline the coin chutes 12, 13, 14 and 15 for the initial reception of ten, live, twenty-five and fifty cent pieces respectively. rlhese two members and 11 also constitute the front wall of the machine, the to-p of which is indicated in part by the reference numeral 16 (see Fig. 2). The top is provided with .a suitable closure 17, pivoted or otherwise secured thereto to enable access to the mechanism (not illustrated) enclosed in the upper part of the machine. rlfhis top p rtion 16 and the closure 17 are substantially the same in all essential respects to the corresponding parts described and illustrated in my copending applications above referred to. lhe same is true with respect to the main shaft 18, operating crank 19, slotted members 2O and 21, bars 22 and L3, studs 24 and 25, crosshead 26 connecting the bars 22 and 23, and the operating lingers 2T, 23, 29 and 30.

The construction of the coin chutes 12, 13, 14- and 15 .and their associated mechanism are substantially the same one with respect to the other, except insofar .as I will more specifically point out in connection with chute to take care of a condition which is illustrated in Fig. 6. Consequently, it is only necessary to describe in detail the construction and mode of operation of one of the coin chutes, and for this purpose l have selected that one indicated by the reference numeral 15. rl`he coin chute 15 is formed, in 'he embodiment of the invention illustrated, by the inter-relation of the wall members 10 and 11, the latter of which is clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5, and is defined in part by a bevelled transparent member 31 held in a correspondingly shaped opening therein by means of a suitable clamping member 32. The width and thickness of the coin chute in this particular instance corresponds exactly to the diameter and thickness of a fifty cent piece so that the latter passes fre-ely therethrough. In the instance shown, the chute itself is deep enough to receive four coins, but itV will be understood that the coin chute may be made of any depth desired to receive any number of coins. Located immediately below the coin chute 15 is a member 33 adapted to be rocked manually by the operating handle 34. `The member 33 is mountedupon the oscillating pintle 35, (see Fig. 2). ln alignment with the coin arresting member is a vertical wall 36 located in a plane passing midway between the walls 37 and 38 of the chute, and otlset from the walls 37 and 38 are two walls 39 and 40. The walls 36 and 39 define a passageway 41 leading to a return tray 4:2, whereas the walls 36 and el() define a passageway i3 which conducts or delivers the coin into operative position in the machine in front of the plunger 27. It will therefore be seen that when the member 33 is rocked in a clockwise direction, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the lowermost coin in iii;

the chute is returned or rejected from the machine. hen the men'rber `33 is" rocked inl a countercloclrwise direction, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the coin willbe delivered into an operative positionwithin the' machine. v

Mechanism is provided for automatically maintaining the membe'r`33 in ai substantially vertical position for the purpose of arresting the coins inthe coin chute, and forthis purpose I preferably employ a spring 44 (see Fig. 2) the lower end of `which is connected to a `stud 45 and the upper end of which is connected toa lug 46 projectin'tg downwardly from the` pintle 35. The spring 44 is locatedsubstantially in a vertical-plane' which passes-` through the intermediate wall 36.

`would dropyinto oneor the other of the passagewavs 41 and 43 leading fromsai'd chute upon the movement of the coin arresting member tothe right orleft as illustrated in Figs3 and 4. Toa-void this I have provided a slide 47, having a slot 48 therein, slidable back. andforth across the coin chute and located al distance from thebottom of said chute approximately corresponding to the diameter of the coin in the particular chute. The slide 47 is equipped with' a. Vrearwardly extending arm `49 projecting through a slot in the wall member 10 and adapted to be engaged by the resilient members 5G and 51 see Fig. 5) which are connected to the pintle and arel so constructed and arranged that when the pintle is operated in a clockwise or countercloclrwi'se directiorr,= said resilient members will coactwith said arm 49 to actuate the Vslide 47.Y Tlre normal position of this slide 47 isclearly indicated in Fig. 1,with the slot 48 therein registering with the coin chute passage so asto enable the coins to pass therethrough. Then the member 33 is operated inl a` clockwise direction, substantially corresponding movement is imparted to the slidable member 47 bringing one of the unslotted end portions of the slide into the path oflthe next succeeding coin, thus preventingv the latter from being discharged simultaneously `with the lowerm'ost coin in said chiite into the return passage-way 41.` If the `coin arresting member33 is operated in a couhtercloclrwise direction; a. substantially` corresponding movement will be imparted tothe slidable member 47 `in a direction opposite `to the direction previously described, bringing` the `other unslotted end portion of the slide into the path of thenext succeedingcoinin lthe coin slot, tl'ius enabling-only the "lower-most sizes.

coin in the coin slot tobe delivered to its operative position within the machine.

I have'previously referred toa certain condi'tirm which is inherent inthe embodiment ofthe invention illustrated,l due to the accidental deposit of a coin of one sise into a chute for the reception of coin's'orincreased There is no coin in use smaller in? size than the ten cent piece, consequently,` the sliidable member may be and is preferably located at a distance from the upper end ol' the coin arresting member 33t equal to the diameter of that coin. For the same reasons, the slidable member 47 employed in connection with the five cent piece and the twenty five centcoin deposited, may be located -at a distance from the upper en'd of the coin arresting-member 33 equal tothe respective diameter of these coins.` However, this is not true with respect to the fifty cent coin chute, becauseof the relative diameters of the ten cent and fifty cent pieces. In other words, it the slidable member 47 be located at a distance Vfrom the upper end of the coin arresting member 33 equa-lfto the thickness ofthe fifty centpiece, it will be readily seen thatilf a ten cent piece is accidentally dropped into the saidlifty cent coin chute (see Fig. 6) the next coin, say a fifty cent piece, would pass Sulli-V ciently far throughV slot 48 as to militate against the effective operation of the slidable member 47, or may even pass throughsaid slot upon the actuation ofthe coin arresting member 33 in either direction. Consequently, I locate the slidable member 47 in this particular instance in a plane somewhat below the upper edge of the lowermostlifty cent piece in the chute, clearly illustrated at the left hand side of Fig. l; In other words, the slidable vmember 47 sc far as the fil-ty cent coin rchute is concernedis located at a distance from the upper end of the coin arresting'member substantially less than the diameter oi' the coin itself.

In my copending applicationsV above referred to I have illustrated and described suitable means for counting the net amount of coinsV received by the machine. This is accomplished by the operation of the machine to return change and to receive the fare. It is desirable to record the number of bad coins deposited and rejected from the machine and this I do in the present embodiment of my invention preferably by causing a stud 52 on the slide 47 to engage with and actuate the spring-pressed arm 53 of a suitable counter 54 whenever the coin arresting member 33 is actuated in a clockwise direction to eject the coin from the machine.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a pluralityof coins may be deposited in each of the coin chutes 12, 13, 14 and l5; that coins can be received or rejected in any order from Y any one of said chutes independently of the other; that it enables the location at the same time of one coin of each denomination in operative position in the machine with the result that change may be simultaneously returned for a plurality or all of said coins; that the device as a whole is of very compact form; that the construction is simple, cheap to manufacture, and not liable to get out of order; and that the invention is adapted to be employed generally with change making mafchilies. It will therefore be seen thatthe device is particularly desirable and advantageous in the expeditious handling of a large number of passengers, thus avoiding congestion about the machine and the inevitable delay incident thereto.

I have illustrated and described herewith what I regard as the preferred embodiment of my invention, but it is to be expressly understood that I do not limit myself thereto,

as many changes may be made in points of d l. A change making machine comprising a chute for receiving a plurality of deposited coins, a stationary passageway leading from said chute to enable the coins to be received into the machine, a second stationary passagef way to enable the return of the coins deposited, means controlled by the operator for directing the lowermost coin in said chute into either of said passageways, and simultaneously operated means for arresting the succeeding coins in said chute.

2. A change making machine comprising a coin chute for successively receiving a plurality of coins, a passageway for conducting the coins from said chute to their operative positions in the machine, a stationary passageway for conducting said coins directly from said chute to the exterior of the machine, means for arresting the coins in said chute to enable them to be inspected, means for 2 actuating said arresting means to enable the a plane with said chute and leading from the latter to enable the coins to be received into operative position in the machine, a second passageway in a plane with said chute to enable the return of the coins deposited, pivoted means normally located between said passageways and controlled by the operator for directing the lowermost coin in said chute into either of said passageways, and simultaneously operated means for arresting the succeeding coins in said chute.

5. A fare collecting and change making machine comprising a coin chute for successively receiving a plurality of coins, a passageway in a plane with said chute for conducting the coins from said chute to their 0perative positions in the machine, a second passageway in a plane with said chute for conducting said coins directly from said chute to the exterior of the machine, pivoted means normally located between said passageways for arresting the coins in said chute to enable them to be inspected, means for actuating said arresting means to enable the lower-most coin in said chute to be discharged into either of said passageways, and simultaneously actuated means for arresting the movement of the succeeding coin or coins in said chute.

6. A change making machine comprising a plurality of coin chutes each adapted to hold a plurality of coins, a stationary passageway for each of said chutes for conducting coins from the latter to their operative position in the machine, a stationary passageway for each of said chutes for conducting coins directly from said chutes to the exterior of the machine, means for arresting the coins in said chutes to enable them to be inspected, and means for actuating said arresting means to enable a predetermined number of the lowermost coins of the plurality in each chute to be discharged into said passageways.

7. A change making machine comprising a chute for receiving a plurality of deposited coins, a stationary passageway leading from said chute to enable the coins to be received into the machine, a second stationary passageway to enable the return of the coins dcposited, means controlled by the operator for directing a predetermined number of the lowermost coins of a plurality of coins in said chute into either of said passageways, and simultaneously operated means for arresting the succeeding coins in said chute.

8. A fare collecting and change making machine comprising a chute for receiving a plurality of deposited coins, a passageway leading from said chute to enable the coins to be received into the machine, and a second passageway to enable the return of the coins deposited, incombination with means controlled by the-operator for directing the lowermost coin in said chute into either of said passageways, and simultaneously operated means including a slide member movable transversely of said chute for arresting the succeeding coins in said chute.

9. A fare collecting and change making machine comprising a chute for receiving a plurality of deposited'coins, a passageway leading from said chute to enable the coins to be received into the machine, and a second passageway to enable the return of the coins deposited, in combination with means for arresting said coins in said chute to enable them to be inspected, means for actuating said arresting means to enable the lowermost coin in said chute to be directed into either of said passageways, and means, including a slide member movable transversely of said chute, resiliently connected to andv simultaneously actuated by said actuating means for arresting the movement of the succeeding coin or coins in said chute.

10. In a fare collecting and change making machine, a chute for receiving a plurality ci. deposited coins, a passageway leading from said chute to enable the coins to be received into the machine, and a second passageway to enable the return of coins deposited, in combination with means for arresting said coins in said chute to enable them to be inspected, means for actuating said arresting means to enable the lowermost coin in said chute to be discharged at will into either of said passageways, and simultaneously operated mechanism for arresting the succeeding coins in said chute, said mechanism comprising a slide movable transversely of said chute and provided with a slot therein normally registering with the passageway of the chute and through which slot the coin is adapted to pass, and means for operatively cpinecting said actuating means and said s 1 e.

11. In a fare collecting and change making machine, a chute for receiving a plurality of deposited coins, a passageway leading from said chute to enable the coins to be received into the machine, and a second passageway to enable the return of coins deposited, in combination with means when in normal position for arresting said coins in said chute, means for actuating said arresting means at will in opposite directions from normal position to enable the lowermost coin in said chute to be discharged into one or the other of said passageways, spring actuated meansv for automatically returning said arresting means to normal position, and mechanism simultaneously operated by said Vactuating means for arresting the succeeding coin or coins in said chute, said mechanism comprising a slide member movable transversely of said chute and provided with a slot therein normally in register with the passageway of the chute and through which slot the coin is normally adapted to pass into engagement with the first mentioned arresting means, and a connecting means between said actuating means and said slide.

12. In a fare collecting and change making machine, a chute for receiving a plurality of deposited coins, a passageway leading from said chute to enable the coins to be received into the machine, and a second passageway to enable the return of coinsV deposited, in combination with a pivoted member normally arresting said coins in said chute, means for actuating said member at will in opposite directions from normal position about said pivot as an axis to enable the lowermost coin in said chute to be directed into one or the other of said passageways, spring actuated means for automatically returning said member to normal position, and mechanism simultaneously operated by said actuating means ior arresting the succeeding coin or coins in said chute, said mechanism comprising a slide member movable transversely of said chute and provided with a slot therein normally in register with the passageway of the chute and through which slot the coin is normally adapted to pass into engagement with said arresting member, and a resilient connecting means between said actuating means and said. slide. v

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 26 day of January, 1923.

Y CHARLES E. CHALMERS.

CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION,

Patent N0. 1,801,795. Granted April 21, 1931, to

CHARLES E. CHALMERS.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 38, claim 2, before the word "passageway" insert the word stationary; and that the said Letters Patent should he read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of September, A. D. 193i.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

